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Sunday, July 30, 2006

As we suspsected.

Mel Gibson is trying to save his career after his hateful tirade about Jews. First, he confessed he was drunk. Let me repeat his words and then dissect them a bit.

"After drinking alcohol on Thursday night, I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed. I drove a car when I should not have, and was stopped by the LA County Sheriffs. The arresting officer was just doing his job and I feel fortunate that I was apprehended before I caused injury to any other person. I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said, and I apologize to anyone who I have offended. Also, I take this opportunity to apologize to the deputies involved for my belligerent behavior. They have always been there for me in my community and indeed probably saved me from myself. I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry. I have battled with the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse. I apologize for any behavior unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health.”

He is no doubt telling the truth when he says "after drinking alcohol" but this makes it sound like it was one glass. He was drunk. For a man his size that meant several glasses. Second, he says, "I have battled with the disease of alcoholism..." I don't buy that one bit. It is not a disease but a choice. He choose to buy the booze. He choose to pour it or had someone pour it for him. He picked it up and put it is his mouth. And he swallowed. And he did it again and again until he was drunk. It was a condition he inflicted upon himself. Come on Mel, at least take responsibility for it. No germs caused him to drink. There is no physical condition that forces people to become alcoholics. It happens when people make choices. It is not a version of the flu. You can't "catch" alcoholism in a crowded elevator. You don't spread it by sneezing on someone, kissing them or shaking hands. It has none of the hallmarks of a disease but it does have all the traits of individual choices. It is not a health issue Mel it is a character issue.

Secondly he says he said things "that I do not believe to be true and which are despicble." He said exactly the sort of things his father taught him. Gibson is the one who says his father has "never" lied to him. So Daddy Gibson says the Jews are in a conspiracy to set up one world government, and he has never "lied", then Mel must believe the statements to be true. It is my experience that drinking drops the inhibitions of alcoholics. They will say mean and hurtful things but they will say what they really think but normally have the resolve to keep bottled up inside of them. I am convinced that Gibson does buy the anti Jewish theories of his father and that the alocohol loosened his tongue enough for him to speak his mind.

Certainly other statments by Gibson, in the past, have, at best, been border line in their anti-Semitism.

Third, Gibson's statements proves the police reports issued to the press were a cover up and a lie. The BBC quoted a police spokesman who claimed the arrest took place "without incident" yet now Gibson apologizes for his "belligerent behavior". Gibson says he was acting like "a person completely out of control". And the police say it was "without incident". In fact the arresting officer originally wrote a report outlining how bad Gibson got and now Gibson has confirmed it. The police had the officer withdraw it and change the story to save Gibson from humiliation. Now the sheriff's department says "Nothing will be sanitized." A bit late. What they originally told the media was false. They already tried to sanitize the incident to cover up for Gibson and they got caught with their fingers in the cookie jar.

An investigation is supposedly now under way to determine if, and why, Gibson was given special treatment, including the altering of reports to make him look good.The Los Angeles Times reports: " On Friday, a Sheriff's Department spokesman told reporters that Gibson had been arrested that day in Malibu "without incident." But the website alleged that evening that supervisors at the Malibu-Lost Hills sheriff's station tried to downplay the actor's behavior by omitting his most offensive actions in an abridged version of the arresting deputy's report, which has yet to be made public. " Mike Gennaco, head of the Officie of Independent Reviews says: "I'd like to see if there was a legitimate law enforcement reason for asking that the report be altered." The paper also reports something I didn't know: "Gibson has had a close relationship with the Sheriff's Deprtment. He served in 2002 as a 'celebrity representative' for the L.A. Sheriff's Department Star Organiztion, a group tht provides scholarships and aid for the children of slaim police officers." Gibson himself gave $10,000 to the cause and filmed a fund appeal wearing a department uniform.

Some of the media is reporting the full story but others are still hiding the facts. The Chicago Tribune mentions the apology but never informs readers about the anti Jewish outburst from Gibson. The Chicago Sun-Times also leaves the remarks out of the story.